Bridges for stringed instruments



y 8, 1965 J. MATTHEW ETAL 3,183,758

BRIDGES FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Original Filed July 2, 1963 2Sheets-Sheet l mg a INVENTORS Jqcw Z. MATT/9 5W & BY 4455 97 U/VTZ/R/ ZTOR/V5 Y May 18, 1965 J. MATTHEW ETAL 3,183,758

BRIDGES FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Original Filed July 2, 1963 2 Sheetseet 2 a 0 W W w EI MW INVENTORS JQCK A/V/A W & BY z/ 7242/ NEY UnitedStates Patent 3 Claims. 01. 84-307) This invention relates to bridgesfor stringed instruments such as guitars and the like.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 292,222, filedJuly 2, 1963.

In the prior art there have been many types of bridges for stringedinstruments, some of which have proven more satisfactory than others,but none have been particularly satisfactory when used on stringedinstruments employing tremolo devices to provide ease in tremolomanipulability, and to assist in the maintenance of tremolo tonequality.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved swingingsuspension bridge for stringed instruments which assures long playing ofthe instrument without becoming out of tune, which improved bridge isparticularly useful in stringed instruments equipped with a tremolodevice.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide an improved andsimplified suspension bridge for guitars and other stringed instrumentswhich does not alter the normal tone quality of the musical instrumentwith which it is employed; the said suspension bridge beingselfpositionable to compensate for normal string shortening and stringlengthening occurring during the playing thereof.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a guitar having thereon aswingable suspension bridge embodying the invention, the said guitarbeing equipped with one preferred type of tremolo device.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of PEG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an overall plan View of a tremolo equipped guitar showingthereon a swingable suspension bridge of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevational view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1.

FlG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line d--6 of FIG. 1.

PEG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the swingable suspension bridgeof the invention taken substantially on the line 77 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

Referring nowto the drawings wherein like reference characters refer tolike and corresponding parts throughout the several views, a preferredembodiment of the improved swingable suspension bridge Ell of theinvention useable on stringed instruments is disclosed in the drawingsfor illustrative purposes mounted on a guitar 12. The guitar 12 or otherconventional stringed instrument with which the instant invention may beemployed generally consists of a body 13, neck 14 including frets 1.5, aneck bridge 16, a head 1'7, and the usual adjustable key operated.string anchor pegs 1%. Strings 19 anchored at one end to the tail piece20 of the tremolo device 16, and,

3,l83,758 Patented May 18, 1965 as hereinafter described in detail, thesaid strings 19 are supported on the special improved suspension bridgeEll. The said improved suspension bridge 50 has its base 51 fixed to thetop member of the body 13 of the guitar 12 by suitable countersunk headstuds 52. The other end of the said strings 19 are suitably anchored toconventional string anchor pegs 18 extending into the head 17 on theneck 14.

It is important to note that the suspension bridge 59 of the instantinvention provides a marked improvement in the sensitiveness of responseto fingering during play of stringed instruments over such instrumentsequipped with earlier bridges. Also, when the improved bridge 50 is usedon stringed instruments equipped with spring centered tremolo devicessuch as the tremolo device 14) shown in the drawings and describedherein, the etiectiveness of the tremolo mechanism has been found to bean aid to the self-centering of the tremolo device in that the normalstring pressure on the bridge constantly urges the bridge to swing backto center after release of manipulation of the operating lever of thetremolo device, which urging is in aid of and not opposed to thefunctioning of the tremolo device. This does not occur when usingconventional fixed, pivoted or roller bridge heretofore employed withtremolo devices.

The tremolo device lll disclosed herein for illustrative purposesconsists of a base plate 11 fixed to the top member 1341 and end member131 of the guitar body by suitable studs or the like 21. A pair oflaterally spaced upstanding posts 22 preferably formed integral with thesaid base 11 are suitably bored and threaded at 23 to receive studs 24which telescope through the transverse ends 252 of the hour glass shapedtremolo spring '25 and secure it to the said base 11 in spacedrelationship thereabove and above the top member 130 of the said guitarbody 13. The said tremolo spring 25 is preferably substantiallyrectangular in cross section and has a head end 256, and

symmetrical inwardly curved sides 251, and transverse ends 252. The tailpiece 2% which receives and anchors the ends of the strings 19 at thehead end 250 of the tremolo spring 25 is suitably fixed thereto.Obviously, the tail piece 2t may be omitted, and the strings 19 may besuitably fixed to the head end 256 of the tremolo spring 25.

The said tail piece 2d and the head end 258 of the tremolo spring 25 arecentrally bored to telescopingly receive a long adjusting stud 26 havingits head end and lower end threaded at 260 and 261 respectively. Thesaid lower end 261 of the adjusting stud 26 is threaded into an anchorarm 27 which is pivotally connected at 28 to a tremolo lever 29 pivotedat 30 to the base it) as best shown in FIG. 1. The free end of thetremolo lever 29 is suitably bored at 31 to receive the lower end 32 9of the tremolo arm 32 having an operating handle 33 at the upper endthereof. Suitable lock nuts 252 and 263 on each threaded end 26% and 261of the adjusting stud 26 fur the tremolo spring and lever mechanism intheir proper adjusted position. A suitable set screw 34 may be employedto fix the tremolo arm 32 in a desired adiusted position.

The pivot 28 connecting the anchor arm 27 to the tremolo lever 29, andthe pivot 30 connecting the tremolo lever 29 to the base 11, are bothpreferably ball bearing pivots to assure completely free operation ofthe tremolo device it By shortening or lengthening the distance betweenthe head end 256 of the tremolo spring 25 and the anchor arm 27 by meansof the adjusting stud 26, the normal operating characteristics of thetremolo device 10 and its tremolo spring 25 are established, and byturning up the lock nuts 262 and 253 on the threaded head and lower ends26d and 261 respectively of the adjusting stud 26, such adjustment ismaintained.

The particular novel swinging suspension bridge construction 50 of theinvention is preferably employed in combination with a tremolo deviceit) or other suitable tremolo device, and consists of a base 51 which issecured by means of countersunk head studs 52 at the proper location tothe top member 136 of the body 13 of a guitar or the like 12. Upwardlyextending from opposite ends of the base 51 are suitable stanchions 510bored and threaded at 511 to receive threaded semispherically headedAllen type studs or posts 53 which may be turned to level or support thebridge suspension bar 55 at the desired height above the base 51.

The bridge suspension bar 55 is generally U-shaped having a low platform556, end uprights 551i and outwardly disposed flanges 552. Eachoutwardly disposed flange 552 is apertured at 553 and formed at the saidapertures 553 to conform to the curvature of the round head studs orposts 53 providing a universal joint 56 between the flanges 552 of thebridge suspension bar 55 and its supporting posts 53.

A generally triangular string supporting bridge element 60 is mounted bysuch means as studs 61 centrally on the top of the low platform 550 ofthe bridge suspension bar 55. The said bridge element 60 is suitablynotched at 62 to accommodate the strings 19 of the guitar or otherstringed instrument 12.

With the foregoing novel construction, the suspension bridge 50 of theinvention is positively self-returning to neutral after manipulation ofthe tremolo devices operating arm 32 and relaese of the tremolooperating handle 33, the movement of the operating arm 32 of the tremolodevice minutely alternately shortening and lengthening the strings 19 ofthe musical instrument to obtain the tremolo effect. The downwardpressure of the strings 19 on the swinging suspension bridge 50constantly urges the bridge 50 to swing back to its central or neutralposition from which it swings during the manipulation of the particulartremolo device that may be employed.

Obviously, the new and improved suspension bridge 50 of the inventionmay be used on stringed instruments either alone or in combination withany tremolo device including but not limited to the tremolo device 10whereby to provide a highly effective easily accomplished full tonedtremolo effect. When the novel suspension bridge 50 is used on astringed instrument without a tremolo device, the response to fingeringthe instrument during play is highly sensitive. When the said novelsuspension bridge 50 is used in combination with a conventional tremolodevice the usual frequent re-tuning of conventional tremolo equippedinstruments during long periods of play is not required.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been disclosed anddescribed in detail, it is obvious that many changes may be made in thesize, shape, arrangement and detail of the various elements of theinvention, all without departing from the spirit and scope thereof asdefined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a stringed musical instrument,

a swingable suspension bridge including a base fixed thereontransversely of and below the strings of said stringed instrument, saidbase having stanchions at opposite ends thereof,

a bridge suspension bar including a low platform, end 6 uprights andoutwardly disposed end flanges supl ported on said stanchions and formedto provide universal movement therebetween,

and a triangular string sup-porting element disposed longitudinally onsaid 10w bridge platform and fixed thereto, the said suspension bridgeplatform and said string supporting element swinging longitudinally withmovement of the strings supported thereon during playing of the saidinstrument.

2. In a stringed musical instrument,

a swingable suspension bridge including a base fixed thereontransversely of and below the strings of said stringed instrument, saidbase having stanchions at opposite ends thereof, semi-spherically headedstuds threaded into said stanchions and extending thereabove,

a bridge suspension bar including a low platform, end uprights andoutwardly disposed end flanges formed to be supported on said studs andprovide a universal movement between said bridge suspension bar and saidstuds, the turning of said studs providing means for leveling andadjusting the height of said bridge suspension bar in respect to thesaid base and stanchions,

and a string supporting element on the low bridge platform of saidbridge suspension bar supporting the strings of said instrument belowthe points of universal support of said bridge suspension bar, the saidsuspension bridge platform and said string supporting element swinginglongitudinally responsive to movement of the strings supported thereonduring play of the said instrument.

3. A swingable suspension bridge for stringed musical instrumentsprovided with a spring centered manually operated tremolo devicecomprising a base fixed on said instrument transversely of and below thestrings thereof, said base having stanchions at opposite ends thereof,

semi-spherically headed studs threaded into said stanchions andextending thereabove,

a bridge suspension bar including a low platform, end uprights andoutwardly disposed end flanges formed to be supported on said studs andprovide a universal movement between said bridge suspension bar and saidstuds, the turning of said studs providing means for leveling andadjusting the height of said bridge suspension bar in respect to thesaid base and stanchions,

and a string supporting element on the low bridge platform of saidbridge suspension bar Supporting the strings of said instrument belowthe points of universal support of said bridge suspension bar, the saidsuspension bridge platform and said string supporting element swinginglongitudinally with the movement of the strings supported thereonresponsive to manual operation of the tremolo device and the fingeringof the said instrument.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/29 \Vendell84-307 X 3/37 Marzio 84-307 FOREIGN PATENTS 4/54 Germany.

1. IN A STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, A SWINGABLE SUSPENSION BRIDGEINCLUDING A BASE FIXED THEREON TRANSVESELY OF AND BELOW THE STRINGS OFSAID STRINGED INSTRUMENT, SAID BASE HAVING STANCHIONS AT OPPOSITE ENDSTHEREOF, A BRIDGE SUSPENSION BAR INCLUDING A LOW PLATFORM, END UPRIGHTSAND OUTWARDLY DISPOSED END FLANGES SUPPORTED ON SAID STANCHIONS ANDFORMED TO PROVIDE UNIVERSAL MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN, AND A TRIANGULARSTRING SUPPORTING ELEMENT DISPOSED LONGITUDINALLY ON SAID LOW BRIDGEPLATFORM AND FIXED THERETO, THE SAID SUSPENSION BRIDGE PLATFORM AND SAIDSTRING SUPPORTING ELEMENT SWINGING LONGITUDINALLY WITH MOVEMENT OF THESTRINGS SUPPORTED THEREON DURING PLAYING OF THE SAID INSTRUMENT.